Our experience of playing Hannibal 30 times is that Hannibal [the leader] will lose sooner or later, even if attacked by weaker foes. (CHV: I could have told you that without playing it once, wake up there you fellows!). Battle attrition is a problem for Hannibal in Italia whereas the Romans have lots of men.
Also my viewpoint has changed regarding advantage in battle. Rather than saying a one-card advantage is a big deal, I think that a three- or four-card advantage, plus better tactical rating, is not enough of an advantage to win a series of three or four such battles, at least not as often as Hannibal requires to have a chance of winning in Italia. The Reserve cards are the problem, maybe they could be made to be the solution. Perhaps Hannibal's special ability should be dropped, and replaced by an *extra* Reserve card at the start of each battle? This would mean his opponent would be less likely to get Reserve cards, and only a possible maximum of three.
Other ideas include allowing Hannibal to recruit a CU by activating when on a friendly tribe, in the same manner as can be done with a "3" card. An easier rule might be to disallow Battle Attrition from causing Hannibal's army to fall below 5 CUs if he wins a battle.
I am wondering about other minor changes, with a view to sustaining Hannibal's strength in CUs. I have thought about making Arminium a port [on the Adriatic], this is the space next to the Mountain passes on the Cisalpinia/Samnium border. Longus used it as a port when he sailed from his start position in Agrigentum to battle Hannibal at Trebbia [they think]. There is only one port north of Rome and it does seem to take on big significance, this other one could be used for those Carthaginian reinforcements like Slingers, Macedonian Allies and Pirates. Call it a +1 for movement. Perhaps these should be allowed to enter even if the port is Roman-controlled.
CHV: Really the only sensible answer to long-term balance is to have a look at what was being done in the real thing, and then see if all those drivers are in position here. But that requires a degree of study and thought so unless I do it myself I cannot see any volunteers?)
More Hannibal
Other Hannibal
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© Copyright 1996 by Charles and Teresa Vasey.
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